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Mistake 1: Overdoing 'Good' Calories

I constantly see women overdoing it on whole grains because they're so nutritious. Grains are important for your health, but large portions cause weight gain, period. The other day at a restaurant, I noticed women ordering gigantic bowls of brown rice with beans, chicken and cheese. I wanted to say, "Those foods are all good for you, but together they provide way more calories than your body needs at one meal!"

The Fix: Know what your daily portions should be.

Here's a one-day plan for a 5-foot-4, 150-pound woman who walks 30 minutes two to three days a week:
• Four servings of veggies; one serving = 1 cup veggies
• Four servings of whole grains; one serving = a slice of whole-grain bread or a half cup of brown rice
• Four servings of lean protein; one serving = 3 ounces of meat or ½ cup beans
• Four servings of healthy fat; one serving = 1 tablespoon of olive oil or a quarter of an avocado